Door lock



Nov. 17, 1942. w. R. SCHLAGE DOOR LOCK Fil ed Feb. 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l a. O M

Nov. 171, 1942. w. R. SCHLAGE DOOR LOCK Filed Feb. 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v ATTORN Patented Nov. 17, 1942 DOOR LOCK Walter R. Schlage, Bnrlingame, Calif., asslgnor to Schlage Lock Company, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Application February 10, 1941, Serial No. 378,129

3 Claims.

This invention relates to door locks, and particularly to a door lock of the tubular type.

There is a type of door lock known as the tubular type. This type of lock usually requires two separable housings, one known as the spindle housing, as it contains the knob spindle and a rollback member, and the other as the latch bolt housing, as it contains the latch bolt with associated retracting mechanism.

In the tubular lock illustrated in this patent the spindle housing is tubular and circular in cross section, while the tubular latch bolt housing is rectangular in cross section. The latch bolt housin is inserted in a door by drilling a hole through the edge of the door parallel to the opposite faces thereof. The spindle housing, on the other hand, is inserted in a hole drilled crosswise of the door and intersecting the first hole; also it passes through a pair of circular openings formed. in the opposite sides of the latch bolt housing, and through an opening formed in a retractor plate disposed within the latch bolt housing.

The tubular spindle housing, in addition to passing through the cross-hole, the opposite sides of the latch bolt housing and the retractor plate mounted therein, is of suflicient length to project beyond the opposite faces of the door. These v extending ends are both threaded andserve the disposed between the side walls of the latch bolt housing, is slotted in order that the inner end of .the retractor plate may enter the spindle housing, or assume a position where it may be engaged and actuated by a rollback member formed upon a spindle which extends through the spindle housing. Due to the slotting of the spindle housing at a point midway of its ends, the spindle housing is obviously weakened at that point, and if the escutcheon plates are screwed on the ends of the spindle housing to a point where excessive pressure is applied to the opposite faces of the door, there would be a tendency to elongate the spindle housing and to spread or open the slot and jam other parts of the mechanism, as will hereinafter be described.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplify the construction and operation of locks of the character described; to provide a member for bridging and tying the slotted portion of the spindle housing against spreadingor opening when subjected to excessive elongating strains, said bridging member also serving as an anchor member to secure the spindle housing against rotation with relation to the latch bolt housing through which it extends, and furthermore securing the spindle extending through the .spindle housing against endwise movement; to provide a rib on the spindle housing for correctly positioning it with relation to a latch bolt housing through which it extends, and to further secure the spindle housing against rotation; and further, to provide the spindle housing with pairs of stop lugs to permanently secure the spindle within the spindle housing, and to limit rotational movement of the spindle within the spindle housing.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a horizontal cross section of a door, showing the lock installed therein, the lock being shown in cross section;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the inner end of the lock mechanism, said view illustrating the manner in which the rollback member engages the retractor plate;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line IVIV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the spindle and the rollback member formed thereon;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the rear side of the spindle housing;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view showing' the front side of the spindle housing;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view or the spindle housing with the spindle mounted therein;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the anchor member;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the rear end of the retractor plate enters the spindle housing; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the latch bolt housing and the spindle housing when assembled, said view also showing the spindle extending through the spindle housing.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Fig. 1, A indicates a door in which are drilled or otherwise formed two holes 2 and 3. The hole 2 is drilled crosswise of the door through the opposite faces 4 and 5, while the hole 3 is drilled at right angles thereto, or through the edge 6 of the door. A tubular housing B, which is rectangular in cross section, as shown in Fig. 4, is inserted endwise in the hole 3, and will hereinafter he referred to as the latch bolt housing, as it contains a latch bolt 1, a retractor plate 8 and a spring I which normally maintains the latch bolt in projected position. A tubular housing C is insertable in the hole I. and is of sufficient length to project beyond the opposite faces 4 and I. The housing also passes through openin s ll formed in opposite sides of the housing B, and thereby secures said housing against endwise removal from the hole 3. Extending through the housing and supported thereby is a spindle ll (see Figs. 1 and and suitably secured on opposite ends thereof are knobs l2 and I4 whereby rotational movement is transmitted to rotate the spindle. The spindle shown in the present instance is provided with a rollback member I! which during rotation of the spindle will engage the inner end to of the retractor plate and impart a retracting movement to said plate and the latch bolt 1 which is secured to the outer end thereof. During such movement the spring 9 is compressed, and when the knob or knobs are released the retractor bar and latch bolt will be projected and the spindle and knobs will return to normal position.

Referring to Fig. 11, it will be noted, as previously stated, that the latch bolt housing B is rectangular in cross section, and that the spindle housing is cylindrical and of sumcient length that the opposite ends will project beyond the faces 4 and 5 of the door. The ends of the spindle housing are threaded, as shown at It, to receive a pair of escutcheon plates D-D. These are screwed one on each end of the spindle housing until they engage the opposite faces of the door. They are then tightened to clamp the spindle housing securely in place within the cross-hole 2.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 10, it.will be noted that the spindle housing has a cross-slot II formed therein, and it may be statedfurther that the rollback member I! of the spindle H aligns with the cross-slot for the purpose of engaging the irmer end to of the retractor plate 8. That is, when the lock is assembled the rear end of the retractor plate enters the cross-slot l1 and is thus in a position to be engaged by the rollback member; hence when the rollback memher is rotated it will engage one or another of a pair of shoulders 8b formed on the retractor plate, and will force the retractor plate in a rearward direction, thereby retracting the latch bolt 1. Conversely, when the knobs and spindle are released, spring 9 will project the several members or return them to normal position.

The cross-slotting of the spindle housing C obviously weakens the housing; that is, in as much as a cross-slot is formed at a point midway of the spindle housing, and in as much as the outer ends are threaded to receive the escutcheon plates D-D, it is obvious that considerable pull is exerted on opposite ends of the spindle housing when the escutcheon plates are tightened into place against the opposite faces of the door. Sometimes they are tightened excessively, and under that condition the endwise pull on the spindle housing may be so great as to tend to separate or open the slot II. If that should happen it would be detrimental to the operation of the movable parts of the lock. First of all, the spindle H might bind within the spindle housing, as it would tend to bend or move to a position out of alignment; furthermore, it might jam the retractor plate, and in addition thereto tend to distort the side walls of the latch bolt housing B.

For the purpose of reducing any tendency of the slot I! to open if excessive endwise pull is asoasso applied by means of the escutcheon plates D, an anchor member is provided which is best shown in Figs. 1 and 9. This anchor member consists of a plate formed of comparatively heavy metal, such as steel or the like. It consists of two legs lO-ll connected at their outer ends by crossbars "-4! between which is formed a seat 20 for the reception of a spring 2|. Formed on the inner ends of the legs it are lugs Ila the function of which will hereinafter be described. Formed in the spindle housing. and on the rear side thereof, are two openings llb. These are spaced from the cross-slot as shown, and the metal forming the spacing is cut at 2| to form two lugs on each side of the cross-slot, which may be bent inwardly within the spindle housing, as shown clearly in Fig. 8. The lugs "a of the anchor member enter the openings llb when the lock is fully assembled, and as the lugs fit these openings snugly, they engage the inwardly bent lugs 22. Thus when an excessive pull is exerted on the opposite ends of the spindle housing which is suflicient to tend to separate or open the slot II, the lugs 22 will engage the lugs Ito, and before the slot II can separate or open it would also be necessary to separate or open the legs ll of the anchor member. This is of course resisted due to the heavy construction of the anchor member; it is further resisted by the side walls of the latch bolt housing B, as the outer faces of the legs ll of the anchor member engage said side walls 25 of the housin as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The lugs "a perform another function besides that of preventing separating of the cross-slot, to

wit, that of securing the spindle housing against rotation with relation to the latch bolt housing;

and they perform still another function, to wit, that of preventing endwise movement of the spindle ll within the spindle housing. That is, the lugs l8a not only extend into the'openings lab of the spindle housing but they extend a sufficient distance through them to engage the inner ends of the spindle, indicated at Ha, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and thus they obviously secure the spindle against endwise movement.

In actual practice the latch bolt housing, which is inserted endwise through the opening I drilled in the door, will contain the latch bolt I, the retractor plate 8 to which it is secured, the anchor member E, and the springs 9 and II. The spindle housing, on the other hand, will contain the spindle II and the rollback member II formed thereon. After the latch bolt housing has been inserted, the openings Ill formed in the opposite sides 25 thereof will align with the crosshole 2 drilled in the door. By pushing inwardly on the latch bolt 1 until it passes beyond or within the outer face of the face plate, shown at la, the inner end of the retractor plate M will engage the spring seat 20 of the anchor member and force it inwardly a suflicient distance to permit the spindle housing to be inserted through the cross-opening 2. An opening lc formed in the retractor plate will also be in alignment with the cross-opening 2, so that as the spindle housing is inserted it will not only pass through the opening 2 but also through the openings 1 0 in the opposite side walls of the latch bolt housing, and through the opening formed in the retractor plate. By then adjusting the spindle housing back and forth, the cross-slot I'I will assume a central position, or align with the longitudinal axis of the latch bolt housing. The latch bolt 1 may then be released and the latch bolt will be projected and the rear end 8a of the retractor plate will enter the cross-slot of the spin-' dle housing and will move forward therein until it engages the rollback member l of the spindle. This position is shown in Fig. 2. At the same time spring 2| will force the anchor member forward, and the lugs l8a thereof will thus enter the openings IBb of the spindle housing and will lock it against rotation with relation to the latch bolt housing, and as the lugs lBa also engage the inner end Ila of the spindle, it will secure this against endwise removal. The escutcheon plates may then be screwed onto the opposite threaded ends of the spindle housing, and may be tightened against the opposite faces, and if excessive pressure should be employed in tightening them, no damage will be done as the anchor member will prevent separating or opening of the cross-slot IT, as previously described. A knob will finally be applied and secured on the opposite ends of the spindle, and this completes the installation of the lock.

By referering to Fig. 6, it will be noted that a projecting rib 40 is formed between the ends of the cross-slot l1, and that said rib terminates in cross-arms 4|. The rib 40 engages notches 40a formed in the opposite side walls 25 of the latch bolt housing, and functions as a further means for securing the spindle housing against rotation with relation to the latch bolt housing. Also it serves to correctly position the latch bolt housing; that is, with the cross-slot l'l pointing rearwardly, the cross-arms ll limit movement of the spindle housing in one direction when it is inserted, and this aids in centering it with relation to the spindle housing when inserting and assembling the lock in a door.

The lugs 22 formed on the spindle housing, and which are bent inwardly, serve another function besides that of transmitting elongation strains to the anchor member. This second function is that of permanently retaining the spindle II within the spindle housing when it is inserted. That is, the lugs first assume the position shown in Fig, 7; in this position the spindle I is inserted and centered so that the rollback member will align with the cross-slot. The lugs 22 are then bent inwardly, and while they do not limit endwise movement of the spindle within the spindle housing, they do prevent removal thereof.

While certain features of my invention have been more or less specifically described and illustrated, I nevertheless wish it understood that changes may be resorted to within the scope oi the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a lock of the character described, a tubular cylindrical-shaped spindle housing, a crossslot formed in said housing intermediate its ends, a single spindle extending through the housing and journaled therein, a rollback member on the spindle and within the housing and aligning with the cross slot in thespindle housing, and bendable'inwardly turned lugs formed on the spindle housing on opposite sides of the cross-slot and engageable with the rollback member to limit rotational movement of the spindle within the spindle housing and to permanently secure the spindle against endwise removal from the spindle housing.

2. In a lock of the character described, a tubular cylindrically-shaped spindle housing, a crossslot formed in said housing intermediate its ends, a pair of openings formed in the spindle housing one on each side of the cross-slot, a latch bolt housing having a pair of side walls with openings formed therein through which the spindle housing extends, said housings being disposed at right angles to each other, a spindle extending through the spindle housing, a rollback member on the spindle and aligning with the cross-slot in the spindle housing, an anchor member disposed in the latch bolt housing rearwardly of the spindle housing, a pair of lugs on the anchor member projecting into and through the pair of openings formed on opposite sides of the cross-slot in the spindle housing, and a pair of inwardly bent lugs on the spindle housing intermediate the openings and the cross slot, said lugs on the anchor member engaging the lugs on the spindle housing and forming a tie across the cross slot of the spindle housing and both sets of lugs limiting rotational movement of the spindle and preventing endwise removal of the spindle.

3. In a lock of the character described, a tubular cylindrically-shaped spindle housing, a similar tubular spindle extending through the housing, said spindle having a cross slot formed therein intermediate its ends, to form a roll back member and a pair of inner spaced shoulders and lugs formed on the spindle housing and bendable inwardly to engage the inner shoulders of the spindle to permanently secure the spindle against endwise removal from the spindle housing, said inwardly bent lugs being also engageable with the roll back member to limit rotational movement of the spindle.

WALTER R. SCHLAGE. 

